WHO MADE ME A PRINCE
chapter eighty - first dance.

"MAY I HAVE THE HONOUR OF YOUR FIRST DANCE, Your Highness?"

"That's–You–"

Lucas gripped his hand and whispered, "The rest of them see me as a girl."

Arius almost fell to the floor with relief, but Lucas gripped his hand tighter to bring him back to reality.

"Are you sure they see you as a girl?" Arius whispered.

"Yes."

"So why can I see you as–"

"Because, I made it so you would."

"Why?"

"Can you stop asking questions and dance already? Your father is glaring at me. And I've also abandoned my post."

"Just so we're clear, Lucas, you are dancing the women's part."

Lucas smirked, "Let's find out." And thus the two were now standing some steps away from the Emperor and Athanasia.

The music starts and the four begin to dance. Lucas and Arius messed up. Completely.

Arius hadn't practiced dancing with him, and Lucas kept on doing the men's steps and the number of times they stepped on each other's feet is uncountable.

Arius's anxiety was enough to make him faint, but Lucas reassured him saying he placed an illusion spell to make it look like they've been dancing better than Claude and Athanasia on the side.

Speaking of the father daughter duo, they seemed to be having fun,

Athanasia stepped on Claude's feet about five times, but hey, Athanasia was smiling and laughing and Claude too unexpectedly had a smile etched on his face as they danced.

Back to our ravenette duo, Arius stepped on Lucas's feet for nth time and Lucas's feet were now too sore to keep dancing.

He stood frozen with pain, while Arius whimpered around him with worry, "Hey! Keep moving! It's almost over!"

"Y–You're not even gonna apologize?"

"It's your fault for not coming to practice with me, AND to be mixing the steps! Now hurry! Move!"

Arius slapped Lucas on his arm, but Lucas still stubbornly remained glued to his spot. And then he began shaking, with his head low.

Ah, does being stepped on hurt that much?

Arius leaned towards Lucas's face and whispered, "Hey, just a little longer. . . Lucas. . . Hey are you alright–"

Lucas raised his head and Arius saw Lucas suppressing his laughter. Immediately all worry he had for Lucas evaporated and he smacked him real hard.

"You sounded so worried." Lucas teased as he finally continued the dance.

"Shut it, the illusion spell is working right? You're sure?" Arius asked looking at the crowd of people.

"Yea, I'm a hundred percent sure. Nobody saw you hit me. Nobody knows your cruel side."

Arius rolled his eyes and the dance continued.

Despite the amount of times the two of them messed up during dance, broke out in laughter over each other's clumsiness and endured the pain in their feet, it was fun.

Arius was more than relieved to know Lucas placed an illusion spell to make sure they can dance with ease.

Without realizing it, Arius was smiling at the end of the dance. He was tense at the start for no reason.

Right after the dance ended, the ravenette duo stared at each other. "Now you're gonna return to your post?"

"Yea, do you want me to stay?" Lucas asked, his red eyes glowing slightly.

Arius simply stared at his eyes for a while before saying, "No, go before the nobles start trying to approach you."

Lucas gave him a smirk before leaning to his face, and whispering in his ear, "For me to go, you need to let go of my hand."

Arius suddenly realized he'd been holding Lucas's hand firmly. He immediately let go and blushed a bit before saying, "R–Right, s–sorry.", as he averted his eyes.

Lucas bowed, "Well then Your Highness, I hope you enjoy the remaining banquet." He gave him one last sly smirk before disappearing in the crowds.

Arius stood there, his heart beating fast for some unknown reason.

Athanasia suddenly approached him from behind, "No way was that Lucas, right?"

"Hm, why?"

"He looked beautiful."

Arius almost choked on his own saliva. "Wh–What?"

"As a girl I mean! His dress and overall appearance, I didn't know he could cross-dress this well."

"Oh. . ."

Right, she must've seen the illusion Lucas set up.

"Say brother! Who was prettier, Me or him?"

"Huh? Neither of you."

"Geez, it really would kill you to compliment your one and only sister on her special day, huh?"

Arius smirked before leading Athanasia off the centre of the ballroom. He asked where their father was and saw him and Felix discussing something at a corner of the ball.

"The next dance is for the girls to dance with their partners."

"Oh, you wanted to dance with dad again?"

"No way."

Arius blinked quickly before asking, "Why? Did something happen?"

"Why don't you find out?" Athanasia stretched out her hand, with a smile. Arius accepted the challenge.

The second song ended and Athanasia and Arius stood at one corner of the ballroom, both with their heads down.

"Wow Athy, I thought I was a bad dancer, Lucas should be grateful he danced with me and not you."

"Agh, shut up!"

"I should go see if Dad's feet are alright."

Athanasia smacked Arius's arm and Arius just laughed at her.

The two of them had finished dancing the second song before the rest because Arius's feet were too sore to continue, gladly they hadn't attracted too much attention as they blended into the crowd and reached an isolated corner of the ballroom.

"But dad is late, I don't see Felix either. . ." Athanasia searched the crowd for a redhead.

"Did you see Jennette among the crowd?" Arius asked.

Athanasia flinched. "You're not saying they could be-"

Athanasia stopped midway and looked at the crowd once again, searching for Duke Roger.

Arius gave her a pat on the shoulder. "Athanasia, trust Dad. Let's go, he's probably looking for us as well."

Athanasia gulped down all her worries and doubts and decided to do as Arius said.

Truly, she didn't think Claude would harm her anymore. They've spent the last nine years together and Claude's cared for her like a father would.

Today's a special day and even if Jennette was revealed today, it wouldn't change how she felt about Claude anymore.

She loved her dad. She was grateful to have him as her dad, despite his flaws.

And so, as they searched the ballroom for their father Athanasia prepared herself to say what she's been wanting to.

As soon as they saw Claude standing beside a pillar, approached by some nobles, and Felix standing behind Claude, Arius hurried to his fathers side.

Arius knew from Athanasia's silence till then and her expression, that she had something to tell Claude.

So he quickly and skillfully conversed with the nobles and took them away from Claude, Felix following the prince.

This left Athanasia and Claude. Claude smiled at her, "Did Arius endure your dancing as well?"

Athanasia smiled, the realization was somewhat saddening, she can never bring herself to hate him. No matter what he does in the future, whether he accepts Jennette and forgets about her, she will still continue to love him.

And so for the first time, Athanasia decided to forget about everything, Lovely Princess, Jennette, whether Claude will treat her the same after this day or not.

For once, she wanted to be honest with him without worrying about anything. He was the first dad she had.

"Daddy, Thank you for everything. Thank you for being here with me today." She smiled with a hint of sadness in her eyes.

"Thanks to you I'm going to remember today as a very happy day. You have no idea how happy I am to be your daughter. I love you, dad." She briefly hugged Claude and then leaned up to kiss his cheek before disappearing in the crowd for the third dance.

Leaving Claude speechless and dazed as he stared at the place where his daughter stood a while ago.

Before he could ponder on the words more, he was approached by a white dog.